Physical Security and Access to Campus

The majority of housekeepers work on third shift when buildings are closed. They check out the keys to the buildings they are responsible for, enter the buildings, and re-lock the doors. They do not open the doors for anyone during these hours. The zone manager and crew leader perform inspections of each building nightly. The Assistant Directors of Housekeeping perform unannounced inspections of random buildings to ensure compliance. Housekeeping utilizes a Team Cleaning process in cleaning the facilities on campus. This process requires the staff to work in teams of two or more, which ensures that the staff is not alone in any facility while cleaning. Housekeepers carry cell phones and/or radios for easy access to their Zone Manager, Assistant Director, and UNC Police Officers in case of an emergency.  Security Guards employed through UNC Police patrol on foot, check buildings, and respond to housekeepers’ calls for assistance.

All residence halls have electronic key systems where residents can open the outside door by using a proximity key to activate the reader.  Exterior doors to residence halls are locked at all times. Exceptions are made when students move in each semester.  Signs posted at the entrance to each residence hall provide notice of restrictions on entry.

If a student changes residence halls or moves off campus, access is changed by updating the student’s profile in the computer system without the issuance of a new key. All such changes are made online and are effective immediately. The Facilities Services Housing Support Division deactivates lost keys in the same way. Residents should report lost exterior proximity keys immediately to the Community Office.  Each resident has a key to their residence hall room or apartment. In suite-style residence halls, the room key also opens the suite door. Residents are advised to keep doors locked at all times. Room locks are changed when keys are lost, and residents should immediately report lost room keys to the Community Office.

Residents may have invited guests visit; however, some halls have restrictions related to when guests may visit, commonly referred to as visitation. Limited visitation allows guests to visit from 9 a.m.-1 a.m. Sunday-Thursday, and 9 a.m.- 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Standard visitation allows guests to visit anytime with the permission of the roommate.

Both visitation options require roommate consent.  Students complete roommate agreements early in the academic year to establish guidelines for guests. In addition, students living in the residence hall or apartment are responsible for maintaining the visitation standards as members of a common community. The Resident Adviser is available to mediate when roommate or community agreements are not upheld.  Each residence hall has a telephone located at the entrance. Invited guests gain access to the residence hall by calling their host and asking to be escorted while visiting.  Students are held responsible for the behavior of their guests.

Only authorized personnel are provided access to keys that open multiple residence hall doors. These include UNC Police, maintenance personnel, and residence hall staff. Live-in professional staff members control residence hall room key access. The Facilities Services Housing Support Division controls master key access through the use of secured key boxes in the buildings. At a minimum, access to these keys requires users to have an assigned passcode. Based on this code, only keys required in the function of staff duties are available to the user. The key boxes are networked, so the lock shop has data on what keys are checked out, when, and for how long. There is also an alert system that notifies the lock shop if keys have been checked out longer than the permitted time.

Any facility-related security concern or other emergency is given highest priority for response by Housing Support personnel. Typical security calls are for locks not functioning and broken windows. If the request for attention is made during normal working hours, an attempt is made to respond during that day. If the request is made after normal working hours, the UNC Police Telecommunications Center alerts the appropriate personnel on call. Emergency and security maintenance requests are handled as soon as the person on call can arrive on campus.

Adequate lighting on campus is an important component of safety and security at night.

Campus lighting corridors provide higher level lighting for walkways and parking lots that are used frequently after dark. While it is cost-prohibitive at this time to provide such lighting across the entire campus, additional illumination along these corridors is both necessary and beneficial to campus safety and security. The concentration of after-dark pedestrians in the lighting corridors also reduces each pedestrian’s sense of being alone and more vulnerable.

Lighting corridors now exist from East Franklin Street at the north end of campus to Rams Village residence halls on the south end of campus. Older lights on north campus have been replaced with higher intensity, improved-color lights that serve to nearly double the amount of light in those areas and improve color recognition for easier identification. East-west corridors follow Cameron Avenue and South Road.

To review lighting needs, the Electric Distribution Systems working group within Energy Services conducts lighting tours of the campus twice a year. Normally, tours are held in April and October. These walking tours allow students and employees to point out where lighting needs improvement, to see where the landscape has changed (because of construction or tree and shrubbery growth, for example), and to see the impact of those changes already made to improve lighting.

Representatives from the student body, Graduate and Professional Student Federation, UNC Police, Housing and Residential Education, Facilities Planning, Building Services, Grounds Services, and members of the Campus Personal Safety Committee usually participate in the tours. The tour leader historically is the manager of Electric Distribution Systems and/or a member of his or her staff.

The tours are open to any interested person. Advance notices of tour dates are sent to the above-mentioned representatives and to The Daily Tar Heel, the student newspaper, and The University Gazette, the faculty and staff newspaper.

Anyone with a concern about lighting or is interested in participating in a walking tour is encouraged to call Electric Distribution Systems at 919-962-8394 at any time.

Finally, increased illumination does not eliminate the need to be cautious when walking at night. Pedestrians should walk with a friend, take the Point-to-Point Express, or call Point-to-Point at 919-962-7867 (962-P-TO-P). Campus community members are encouraged to use one of the emergency call boxes located throughout the campus if they feel threatened at any time of day or night or dial 911.

Point-to-Point (P2P)

The P2P Express serves designated stops around campus on a fixed route between 7 p.m. and 4 a.m. seven days a week during the fall and spring semesters. P2P Shuttle serves Baity Hill from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Monday through Saturday and on-demand on Sundays. During summer school, P2P vans operate the same schedule, but travel a limited route. P2P Express is available to all faculty, staff, and students. Service is only provided when residence halls are open.

P2P also provides transportation services to students and employees with disabilities 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Call for service at 919-962-7867, download the TransLoc Rider app, or visit the TransLoc Website. A doctor’s certificate is required to be kept on file at the P2P Dispatch Office. The service is free to students and employees with University identification cards.

Students and employees may call P2P between dusk and dawn for transportation between campus locations parking lots that are not served by the P2P Express route or Chapel Hill Transit. Call 919-962-7867, download the TransLoc Rider app, or visit the TransLoc Website. P2P also provides rides for students to Campus Health Services, the main quad libraries, the Law Library, and the RR lot from any campus location. More information about P2P services can be found on the Transportation and Parking website.

Commuter Alternative Program (CAP)

Through CAP, UNC offers alternative commute options including fare-free local and regional transit service. CAP is a nationally recognized program designed to reward commuting students, faculty, and staff who do not drive alone to campus.

P2P provides Emergency Ride Back service to CAP members who have an emergency and need transportation to Park & Ride lots or residences in Chapel Hill or Carrboro.  Call 919-962-7867, download the TransLoc Rider app, or visit the TransLoc Website. Employees may also join the regional Emergency Ride Home program.  Other CAP benefits include a bus pass or vanpool subsidy for eligible commuters, a discount card, prize drawings for free Zipcar membership, and free occasional-use parking.

Motorist Assistance Program (MAP)

The Motorist Assistance Program is a cost-free service provided by Transportation and Parking. If a vehicle requires a “jump start” or if the keys are locked inside the vehicle, motorists may call Parking Control at 919-962-8006.

Zipcar

Through Zipcar, the University’s car-sharing program, students (ages 18+), employees, and University departments have access to cars parked on campus for use by the hour or by the day. Fuel and insurance are always included.

ShareTheRideNC

Students and employees may also sign up for this free ride-matching service. ShareTheRideNC is typically used by commuters looking for rides to UNC. One-time trip matching is also available. Registrants may choose to only match to other UNC commuters or to any person with a similar commute.

For more transit and parking information, visit the Transportation and Parking website.